Connector



K. A. SIMMON.

CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION.FILED JUNE 13.1912.

1,384,491. PatentedJuly 12,1921.

l6 /4 WITNESSES INVENTOR War/6 5/777 070/;

n BY 7 gheny and State oi. vented a new and useful Improvement in UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

KARL A. SIMMON, OF EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '10 WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN IA.

CONNECTOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KARL A. SIMMON, a I

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park in the county of Alle- Pennsylvania, have in- Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to connectors and partlcularly to train-line connectors.

One object of my invention is to provide a connector having a switch within the receptacle member thereof that shall be adapted to short circuit certain of the conductors in the connector under predetermined con-' ditions.

Another object of my invention is toprovide a train-line connector of the aboveindicated character that shall be simple to construct and effective in its operation.

In practising my invention, I provide a receptacle having a plurality of contact members therein, a door for closing one end of the same, under predetermined conditions, a plug member having corresponding contact members therein and adapted to be inserted in the receptacle and a normally closed switch within the receptacle that is adapted to be opened when the plug is inserted in the receptacle for the purpose of open circuiting a' short circuit connection around certain of the conductors. The switch is adaptedto normally maintain the short-circuit connection across certain ofthe conductors in" order that a complete circuit may, at all times, be obtained from one central controlling point, irrespective of the number of cars in a train.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a train-line connector embodying 'my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a modified form of the trainline connector embodying my invention, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a train line illustrating the application of my invention. I

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, a connector 1 comprises a receptacle 2 having a plurality of contact members 3 therein, a door 4 anda switch 5. A plug member 6 is provided Specification of Lettersrlatent.

I tions.

Patented July 12, 1921. 1917. Serial No. 174,445.,

with a plurality of contact members 7 that are adapted to engage the corresponding contact members 3 of the receptacle2 when the same is inserted in the receptacle.-

The switch 5 is "mounted in a casing 8 on the receptacle 2 and comprises a movable contact member'9, a stationary contact member 10, a guiding member 11 and a spring 12 for yieldingly holding thecontact members in engagement, under normal condi- The door 4 is provided with a projection v13 that is adapted to engage the guiding member 11 for the purpose of movingthe contact member 9 out of engagement with the contact member 10 when the door is moved to such open position as to permit the insertion of the plug member 6.

Theswitch 5 is provided for the purpose of normally short circuiting train-line con ductors Hand 15, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, when the two members of the connector are separated in order that a control switch 16 may complete a circuit through a translating device 17 and a source of elec-. tromotive force 18. That is, if the cars upon which translating devices 19 and 20 are mounted are disconnected from the'car upon which the device 17 is mounted, the switch 5 will permit the circuit, comprising the device 17 and the source of electromotive force'18 to -be completed whenever the proper switch 16 is closed. Thus, if the translating devices 17 19 and 20 are located on different cars of a train, the function of the control circuit will not be impaired because of the open cir'cuiting of any of the connectors by reason of the uncoupling of any of the cars.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, a connector 21 comprises a receptacle 22 havin contact members 23 therein, a housing 24 or inclosing the switch 5, a door 25, a plug member 26 having contact members 27 therein and a projectlon 28 thereonthatis adapted to engage the guiding member 11 of' the switch 5 for the purpose of disengaging the contact members 9 and 10 of the same when the plug 26 is inserted in the receptacle 22.

I do not limit my invention to the particular structures illustrated, as the switch may be disposed in the main portion of the receptacle and various other modifications may ing contact members therein, a plug member therefor having corresponding contact members, and a door for the receptacle, of a short-circuiting switch for the contact members disposed within the receptacle,and means whereby the switch isactuated when {the door is opened to receive the plug mem- 2. The combination with a receptacle having a door thereon and contact members therein, and a plug member therefor having correspondingcontact members therein, of a switch disposed in the receptacle for normally short-circuiting certain of the conductors, and means whereby the opening of the door opens the switch.

3. The combination with a receptacle having conductors therein, a door for the receptacle having a projection thereon, and a plug member having contact members therein that are adapted to engage the contact members in the receptacle, of a normally closed short-circuiting switch in the receptacle, and means adapted to be engaged by the projection on the door to open the I switch when the door is opened to permit the insertion of the plug member in the receptacle.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of May, 1917.

KARL A. SIMMON. 

